Step 8: Post-MBA plans

Oxford’s MBA application portal asks different questions depending on your answer for post-MBA goals.

You are asked to choose between Employment, Entrepreneurship, Family Business or Other as your post-MBA goal. So which should you choose? 

As shown by the 2019/2020 job report, around two thirds of the graduating class were seeking employment. Add the sponsored graduates who returned to their previous roles, and those postponing their job search, and you’ll find that the vast majority of MBA graduates go into employment.

Oxford’s employment report for 2019-20. Note: This graduating class was significantly affected by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But even though most applicants go into employment, this does not mean you should necessarily choose Employment. In our experience, applicants with entrepreneurship, family business, or other post MBA goals often have more unusual profiles. The school knows this.

So if you’re on the fence between writing about employment, entrepreneurship, or family business, strongly consider one of the latter two. Remember, they’re not going to hold you to your choice, it’s just about choosing the option that leads to the most impactful essays.

How much should you write? Although these essay prompts have unlimited words, most applicants can answer the question neatly with 200-300 words for each. This is consistent with the word limits set for similar essays by other business schools. 

In the Essay Strategy course, we explored your Story/Purpose/Goal and you saved these in your Notes. Now, let’s apply them to Oxford’s application essays.